Planooraph co



E. P. ARPIN.

STEERING DEVICE.

'APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, I919.

1,31 1,032. I Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Witmwou V afiozwu THE COL UMBKA PLYANOURAPH co., WASHINGTON, 0., c.

E. P. ARPIN.

STEERING DEVlCE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18. I919.

Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- zzzi-lmll" THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,. WASHINGTON, D.C.

FFICE.

EDMUND P. ARPIN, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

STEERING DEVICE.

AppIication filed April 18, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND P. ARPIN, a citizen of the United States, anda member of the Army of the United States, have 1nvented new and usefulImprovements in Steering Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference toimprovements in means for steering thefront wheels of tractors, etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will facilitate the control of the front wheel; afford a shortturning radius, and relieve shocks from the main frame of a tractor orother power driven vehicle.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the inventionis better understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the yoke and drum illustrating the flexibleconnectlon therebetween and also the elements carried by the yoke, theshaft for the drum, being in section.

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged sectional view approximately on the line 44of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, andapproximately on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 3, but alsoshowing the worm wheel on the shaft of the drum.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a frame 10, comprising parallelside members 11, transverse members 12 connecting said sides, and anglebrace members 13 arranged between the transverse members and the sidemembers. The side members extend a suitable distance beyond thetransverse members, and preferably the sides, at the rear of the frame10 are provided with sleeves 14: which may receive the front axle of avehicle, or the frame may be secured to the chassis of a power Vehiclein other manners if desired.

The forward end of the side members 11 of the frame preferably extendbeyond the front transverse or connecting member 12 a greater distancethan does the rear portions of the said sides, and the referred to forward portions of the sides rest upon a circular track 15 and are securedto the said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Serial No. 291,017.

track. In addition to the ordinary securing means, such as bolts, rivetsor the like, angle braces 16 are connected to the ends of the sides 11and to the track 15 at the top of the said track.

The track has its inner face, at the side and bottom thereof, for themajor portion of the said track open, the track presenting a fiat topsurface 17, inner angle flange or side 18, outer angle side or flange19, the latter having a straight portion at the lower end thereof andthe said straight portion being provided with an inturned flange 20.Vhile I have referred to the track as circular the same may be less thana circle, but preferably the outer flange 19 at'the rear of the trackis, for a considerable distance cut away, the reason for which willpresently be apparent.

The track 15 is designed to receive therein oppositely disposedcarriages 21, each of which being preferably in the nature of a casting,circular in plan and having the ends thereof bifurcated. In thebifurcations are received rollers 22 journaled on shafts 23 received inthe arms provided by the bifurcations. These rollers contact directlywith the flat under face of the upper wall 17 of the track. The carriages have their sides concaved or rounded inwardly from the bifurcatedends thereof, and journaled on suitable shafts 2 1 in the ooncaved outerfaces of the carriages are rollers 25, the same being comparativelysmall with respect to the rollers 22. The rollers 25 rest on theinturned wall or flange 20 of the track and prevent the trackbeinrraised above the bearing rollers 22. Each of the carriages 21 iscentrally provided with a depending rounded portion 26 having a centralround opening 27 therethrough, and these openings provide bearings forthe shaft 28 of the front wheel or roller 29 for the frame 10. Thecarriages 21, at the rear thereof are connected by a round flat memberin the nature of a yoke 30, and secured to the rear of the respectivecarriages 21 are cables 32 and 33 respectively.

Secured upon the outer transverse connecting member 12 for the frame 10is an inwardly extending track 34: which is approximately centrallyprovided with a horizontal opening therethrough, and passing throughthis opening, and journaled in suitable bearings in the upper and lowerfaces of the bracket is a shaft 35. On the lower portion of this shaftis secured a drum 36 around which the ends of the cables 32 and 33 arewound and secured. The shaft 30 also is provided with a worm wheel 37disposed above the drum 36, the said worm wheel being engaged by a. worm38 secured upon a shaft 39 that is journaled in suitable bearingopenings in the bracket 3-1 as well as in a bearing a0 on the reartransverse connectingmember 12 of the frame. The outer end of the shaft39 is provided with a hand wheel 41 having an operating handle 42, andby turning the wheel it will be obvious that the drum will be likewiseturned so that the cables, being wound in opposite directions will causethe carriages to travel on the circular track, and consequently turn theguide wheel or roller 29 and properly direct the machine in an easy,active and eX-- peditious manner.

The frame is preferably constructed of channel iron, and the device maybe detachably connected with a tractor or rigidly secured thereto, andfrom the foregoing description, when taken in connection with thedrawings, the simplicity of the construction and the advantages thereof,it is thought, will be apparent without further description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In adevice for the purpose set forth, a frame, a circular carriage securedat the front thereof having a partly open inner side and an inturnedflange upon the lower edge of its outer side, a pair of oppositelydisposed carriages arranged in the frame and having rollers thereoncontacting with the under face of the track and in the path of contactwith the inturned flange, a shaft j ournaled in said carriages, asteering wheel thereon, and means for imparting a simultaneous motion tothe carriages to move the same on the track to bring the steering Wheelto a. desired angle with respect to the frame.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a frame, a circular tracksecured thereto comprising a member having a partly open inner side, aflange on the lower edge of its outer side and its said outer sidepartly open at the rear portion thereof, oppositely disposed carriagesin the track having bearing rollers journaled thereon contacting withthe under face of the track and hav ing side rollers in the path ofcontact with the flange of the track, said carriages having centraldepending portions, a shaft j ournaled therein, a steering wheel securedon said shaft, a segmental yoke connecting the carriages, flexibleelements secured to the carriages, a drum on which said elements arewound in reverse directions, and means for revolving the drum to turnthe carriages on the track to bring the steering wheel at a desiredangle with respect to the frame.

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, a frame having a circulartrack at the outer end thereof and having bearings on the inner endthereof, the track having its outer side provided with an intu-rnedflange, oppositely disposed carriages in the track, rollers thereonbearing on the under face of the track and contacting with the flange ofthe said track, a yoke connecting said carriages, a shaft jiournaled insaid carriages, a steering wheel secured thereon, flexible elementssecured .to the respective carriages, a drum havin ashaft journaled onthe frame around which the flexible elements are wound in oppositedirections and secured to the said drum, a worm gear on the shaft, anoperating shaft journaled on the frame, and a worm on said shaft meshingwith the worm gear.

In testimony whereof I afii'X my signature.

EDMUND P. ARPIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained .for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

